Homemade Peanut Butter

4LBs shelled, roasted and salted peanuts (you could also roast and salt them yourself, after you take the time to shell'em).







After about 3 minutes, it starts to get a somewhat smooth look.



Just like that - Peanut Butter!

Savings too! This cost me $5 for the peanuts (and I still have about 2 cups waiting to be used), store bought is about $7.

I have all these recipes running threw my head on what I can do with this other than a PB & J.

The hardest and most time consuming part was cleaning the processor.

Sweats = Costume

I love to use regular ol' sweats and transform them into a costume, it helps that they are cheap.



I free handed all this with fabric paint (minus the heart that is made out of felt, check another post, Sept '10).



No, it isn't perfect and Yes, that is bothering me (I'm a perfectionist when it comes to creativity).




I took strips of white felt to cover the front part of the ribs (kind of a 3D look).



Hoss wanted to be bloody (I guess it's his age...7 yrs). I added waaay more blood than I thought I would (was completely against blood and gore).



I LOVE how the shirt came out!
Unfortunately, he wont be able to wear it to school, but around town will be ok.

Cheese Crackers

It started out a couple weeks ago. I tried making cheese crackers (goldfish, minus the 'fish'). I figured I could do it like our grandmothers did umpteen years ago, by hand, with a bowl, a wooden spoon and elbow grease = fail. Were crackers around back then? I only ask because it was just so difficult.

So, determined Not to waste...I covered the dough I did make and stuck it in the freezer til I was able to get my hands on a food processor.

That day was yesterday. :)

I pulled the dough out of the freezer and let it come to room temp.

I assembled my new 'toy' (after washing). The hardest part was assembling the dang thang (southern twang, sorry...that's how I say it in my head).

I put in the machine and had to add extra water to get it to ball up like it was spose too.

2 c flour
2 c cheese
touch salt and pepper
3-4 TBS water til it balls just right.
Put in the fridge to rest for 24 hrs.
Pull out, roll (I had to do mine in several batches).
Cut to desired shape.
Sprinkle w/ salt.
Bake 350 for 16 min.











They kept puffing up like little pillows, so I stabbed them with a fork.



Tasty, huh?



They are good, but could be better. Add a little more cheese. Sprinkle with salt before baking and I think they would be PERFECT.

Halloween Costumes

I always start thinking about Halloween in August.

I am one of the rare ones that still makes costumes. My mom made costumes for me and my brother and it is something I enjoy doing for my kids.

So, I start asking the kids what they want to be for Halloween in August, I ask Hubs too. That gives me 3 months to figure out how I am going to go about making the costume.

At first Hoss said he wanted to be a spider (he knows I am terrified of the eight legged freaks). Sprout wanted to go as a bird or a dog, we were going to go with a bird dog. Then everything changed (I am not one for change).

Hoss then said he wanted to be a big, scary, black cat....Ok, I can do a black panther.

Sprout told me last week that he wanted to be a dog, a cat, a bird, a train, a monster truck and bus....HowDoI? WhereDoI???

Took them to the Halloween store to get 'ideas'. What a big help that was *sarcasm*.

I can only assume - Hoss has now started saying that he wants to be something scary, oozing with blood and guts (WHERE does he get this? We are very careful on what he can watch). So, I can only assume he is getting these ideas from school (2nd grade).

He is bound and determined to be something scary...I asked him the other day and he said 'fine, I'll be a skeleton...since there is nothing else'. I said 'nothing else? I can make you into a princess if you want'.

Anyway - I went out today and got the makings for the costumes. Hoss main part is black sweats $10 and Sprout is also a long sleeve and pants $3.50 each...I bought an extra shirt to make a hoodie for his shirt.

Hubs is going to find his own thing. He will wait til the last minute (Halloween party is Oct 16).

My costume, on the other hand, is pretty much complete. I am so excited about this costume. The main body of it, is a costume my mom made back in the 80's (I try to keep all the costumes, although there are several that got lost over the years).